Imperium
by Vipaka
Summary: A retelling of the tale of Orpheus, but featuring Serenity and Endymion. After Usagi is unexpectedly killed, Mamoru must go on a quest to regain his lost love.
1. Chapter 1

It happened before he had time to react.

She stood there, invisible inside the light.

That hellish, gorgeous light.

It surrounded her, flowed from her, consumed her, and blocked her almost completely from his sight. Shining impossible colors wove around her in the blinding brilliance, deadly threads of power tying her down and raising her up all at once. He stared through it, desperate and screaming her name in denial.

And in an instant, the light went out like a switch had been flipped.

He felt the moment her heart stopped, and in that instant, his own did.

He ran forward, catching her limp body as it fell. He was crying, he was screaming, he was wailing like a child, but more importantly he was pouring his very life's energy into her corpse. It was a dangerous thing to do, and he knew it, but without her, his soul would wither and die anyways.

Someone was pulling at him, trying to separate him from her. Or maybe it was multiple someones. How long had it been? He was lost in time, thoughtless as he clung to her, refusing to give up. Refusing to give her up. A fainter, warmer light was surrounding them as he continued to pool his life into her.

It was like trying to pour water into a vase that had been inverted. His energy slipped off the edges, nothing entering the hollow shell of the body.

Something inside him was broken. The threat was forgotten, all that he had was her. She was his goddess, his only meaningful memory, his truest love. And she was lost.

Even now, her corporeal form was fading. Like the stardust she was made from, her body was breaking into points of light. They twinkled and stole bits of her from his grasp, until he was left clutching nothing but air and sobbing.

It was a relief when blackness stole his vision.

When he woke up, he wasn't alone. The blissful nothingness of unconsciousness didn't prevent the ache inside his chest, and he knew even before becoming aware of his surroundings that he had lost something irreparably precious.

He was in a field, green plants on all sides. A forest to one side, mountains behind the hills in the distance, it dimly registered that he was not where he had been.

It didn't matter where he was though, because she wasn't there with him.

The figure in front of him was an unfamiliar woman. She had long blonde hair, and her skin seemed to radiate with light. Was she dangerous? Did it matter?

No, he decided. It didn't matter. Let her kill him so that he could join his soul mate in the oblivion.

"Endymion, you are not this pathetic," she said, crossing her arms over her chest and frowning at him.

He blinked at her, eyes burning from exhaustion. She was wrong, he was pathetic. He felt like a cord was wound around his heart so tight it throbbed down to the tips of his fingers. Breathing was an effort.

"She's dead, but she's not lost." She knelt down towards him, hair spilling over her shoulders. A memory invaded his mind like an ugly smell, reminding him of a moment when his love had knelt down in the same way, her platinum hair falling in the same manner. He wanted to whimper, but instead he just closed his eyes as more tears spilled out. Grief was a living monster eating him whole. "This isn't your first lifetime together, and it won't be your last." He opened his eyes and saw she was seated in front of him.

"You want to do what she did last time. Kill yourself and then wait a few thousand years until you're reborn with her again." She watched his expression. The notion was tempting, but she interrupted him before he could commit to the idea. "But you'd be an idiot to do that, because as we both know, the bond isn't broken." She favored him with a sympathetic smile. "And that can mean only one thing."

His usually sharp mind couldn't quite wrap around what she was trying to tell him. As if reading his thoughts, she repeated.

"She's not lost."

And with that, the glimmer of hope for salvation was rekindled. He was suddenly at full attention, fixed on this woman in front of him. She was tall, slender, with young smooth skin, but her youthful features were betrayed by the weight in her gaze. She was older than she appeared, an old soul, probably older than he was. More than any other feature about her though, the thing that struck him was how familiar she was to him. And yet, he had no memory of ever meeting her. But she knew him, and this confirmed his belief that they had in fact met. It was hard to see details of her through his blurry vision.

"You were always the protector, always stuck in the notion that you needed to guard something. Your kingdom, your love, your honor. Now you have nothing left to guard." She tilted her head to the side. "Your kingdom is safe, thanks to her sacrifice, but because of it, now she's gone." He sucked in a shaky breath, hating her for repeating the cold truth. "And you're on the verge of death now too, thanks to your own actions." He frowned, trying to remember. How much of his life had he tried to transfer into her? The memory was sweet acid in his mouth, he had been willing to give her all of it, and had tried to do just that. But, even with the knowledge that he would soon die, he heard the most important distinction in her sentence.

"Too." He repeated. His voice was foreign to him, coarse and weak from screaming.

She smiled, pleased he'd caught the insinuation. "Yes, too. She is on the verge of death as well." Her smile faded. "You can't save her though, not as you are now." She studied him as he tried to fight off despair. "That is why I am here."

"Who are you?"

She shook her head. "No. That is earned." She stood up, offering him a hand. "If you complete the tasks before you, you will be with her again. In this life, and not the next."

He couldn't take her hand fast enough.

"Anything," he said.

She gave him a knowing, sad smile.

AN: This is a retelling of the classical story of Orpheus. I've kind of thrown you guys into the deep end of the pool first, but its intentional, I assure you. The reason and context of her death, time frame this story is written and everything else will be revealed through the unraveling of the story. The grammatically horrible 'fragment' style emphasis writing will not continue in future chapters, but for this chapter I wanted to mirror his disjointed thoughts.


	2. Chapter 2

They walked in silence towards the edge of the treeline.

The woman led him into the forest, breaking the lull. "This land is an eternal parallel space, outside of the constraints of your reality. It exists beyond time, beyond laws that govern your world."

"Like a subspace pocket," he said.

She continued forward, without pause, "In a way. You've been here before."

Mamoru frowned. He would remember being here before, wouldn't he? If in his past life as Endymion, he might not. The memories from a lifetime a thousand years ago were foggy and disjointed, only the most impacting moments remained with him. And then there was also his accident as a child...

"What does this have to do with..." he swallowed the sudden dryness that parched his throat. "bringing back Usagi."

She shrugged. "Maybe everything. Maybe nothing. Really the only one who will be able to determine that is you."

He glared at the back of her blonde head. She only told him riddles, and had been careful about her word choice even then. Just enough to give him hope, not enough to give him direction.

"Where are we going?" he tried.

"You'll know when we arrive." He gnashed his teeth together to push down his frustration.

The forest they were in was at least a pleasant stroll though. The foliage was dense and lush, sunspots appearing and disappearing on the moist ground through the canopy. The thick scent of bark was calming.

His thoughts turned back to his circumstances before he could appreciate it any further. It was selfish, but in his grief he had been consumed by thoughts of his love. "What happened to the senshi?"

"They lived." Even with a voice that was sweeter than honey he was beginning to detest this woman and her air of mystery.

"You remind me of Setsuna," he grumbled, letting out a sigh.

"Our stations are not unalike. But where she lives outside of time, I live outside of reality." She ducked under a low branch and he followed suit.

"I meant your personality," he stood back upright, continuing to follow her.

"A bit presumptuous of you to assume to know someone," she said.

He shrugged out of habit, since she was facing away from him and wouldn't see it. "I think I do know you. You seemed familiar when we first met, but I can't remember from where."

She glanced back at him, wearing a faint smile.

They came to the end of the forest within minutes, and Mamoru could see now where they were headed.

A giant marble building stood in another clearing, surrounded on all sides by the woods. It was not tall enough to show above the trees, but the intricacy of the architecture still gave it a sense of majesty. It might have been an ancient temple or palace, had they been on Earth.

She moved up the marble steps, stopping at the archway that served as a door to the interior. "Inside you will find the first task you must accomplish to be reunited with Serenity."

"Usagi," He corrected automatically. Serenity and Endymion had died a thousand years ago, thinking of Usagi as Serenity was something he only did for the sake of nostalgia. They were two very different people who happened to share the same soul.

She didn't smile or apologize, but nodded.

He peered into the dark insides of the building. "I take it you won't be joining me."

"I will if you wish," she said. Her face was unreadable.

He shook his head, moving past her. "Some time alone will help me clear my head."

Inside the building it was almost pitch black. There wasn't any electricity to light the interior, and with the sunlight at noon strength outside, Mamoru was effectively night blind when he moved beyond a few paces from the door. Glancing back, he made his way to a wall, feeling his way in the dark.

He felt something in front of him and knocked a piece of it from its perch. It let out a loud clang as it hit the floor, telling him it was metal. "Damn," he mumbled, kneeling and groping in the dark to locate the fallen object. Internally he hoped it was a weapon, the golden-haired woman hadn't said this place was in any way dangerous, but she also hadn't said it wasn't. It would fit his expectations of her to leave out something crucial like that in her riddles to him. He would definitely feel better if he had a blade with him.

His hand fell on something uneven and he carefully curled his hand around it, picking it up an taking it with him back to the entrance where there was enough light to see what it was.

To his disappointment, it was a candle. It could still be useful though.

Glancing around the exterior of the building, he noticed a few round basins with low-burning flames. Moving back outside towards one, he tilted the candle's wick towards it until it lit.

Moving with even steps, he headed back inside, glancing at the woman as he passed her. She was standing like a statue by the entrance, hands clasped in front of her, watching him. It was extremely uncomfortable to him to be under her silent scrutiny, so he tried to ignore her as he went back into the building.

This time he used the candle to light the room as he ventured in. The room was large, with two arched doorways on either side and a large alter at the forefront. The flickering candlelight seemed to make the dark even more ominous than it had seemed before. Moving towards the alter, he realized it was surrounded on either side by small fountains. The altar held four crystals, all sitting on velvet cloth. He inspected the altar to see if there was any inscription or clue about the purpose of the altar, but found none.

Moving away, he headed into the room on his left. This room was smaller than the entryway, but more furnished. Framed oil paintings hung on the walls, depicting scenes of battles, love and loss. A large protrusion from the floor in the center of the room no doubt served as a bench. Stepping closer to one painting, Mamoru squinted to make out the details in the low light.

The picture was of a war, with soldiers on both sides and blood on the ground. The uniforms the soldiers wore looked vaguely familiar, but as he puzzled over it, he couldn't quite place their origins. They used swords in the place of guns, and wore armor instead of camouflage. The image the artist had painted was definitely an ancient war.

He regarded the painting beside it. This one held a nature scene, with grand mountains and thick trees. It looked very similar to what he'd seen from the field a few hours prior.

Stepping around the room, he studied each painting in turn. One held a group of children, all circled around what could have easily been the silver crystal. How many other silver stones radiated with light? But it could have just been the fantastical vision of the painter. Or it could have been a witnesses depiction of one of the rare uses of the mythical crystal. Either way, the painting didn't hold much more detail, and so he continued perusing the rest.

He stopped as he came across one painting he recognized. Two lovers held one another, a dark haired man and a fair haired woman. They were inside a rose garden, with a marble column half obscuring them from view.

It was a painting of Endymion with Serenity.

Seeing her smile, even in a painting, brought miserable tears to his eyes. "I'll get you back, I promise," he reached up, caressing the canvas. It felt old and dead against his touch.

This made him re-evaluate every painting in the room. Going back to the first painting, he still couldn't place the uniforms, but he was willing to bet they were the uniforms of some army during the days of the silver millennium. Upon closer examination, the children huddled around the glowing crystal all bore passing resemblance to the current senshi. They might have been the senshi of the silver millennium, or their predecessors.

He felt himself shiver. The memories he had of the silver millennium were few and far, but they mainly centered on the dark days nearing its demise.

Deciding that he'd spent enough time dwelling on the past, he moved again to the front room and into the third area of the building.

This room was empty. There were no furnishings, nothing to tell him anything about it. Heading back to the front room, he stepped up to the altar again, reconsidering the four crystals.

They couldn't be senshi's crystals because all of the soldiers of the solar system were currently alive. Then again, this space was outside reality, so it was possible this is where the stones housed themselves when they were not in use. Tentatively, he picked one up, running his thumb over the smooth edges.

And then it dawned on him.

"Jade," He said, picking up the next stone. "Zoisite, Nephrite, Kunzite."

The purpose of this building was suddenly obvious.

This was a shrine, to the royal families of Earth. Pocketing the stones, he headed back outside, hoping he'd get more answers.

The woman was still waiting outside, looking as much a sentry as a guest in the environment.

"These crystals," he said, taking the piece of Nephrite out of his pocket. "They are the same namesake as my generals."

"They are more," she replied.

He looked down at the stone, closing his eyes to try and sense the stone with his abilities. To his surprise, nothing happened.

"My power," he looked again at the stone. "Its gone!"

She shook her head. "Try again, but do not rely on your powers. Rely on your memories."

He looked down at the stone, visualizing Nephrite as he had once known him, with haphazard brown locks and devil may care smile. The stone seemed to glow in his palm, warming until it was hot to hold.

"My god," he whispered. "This isn't just a shrine to the royalty of Earth."

He pulled out the other stones, staring down at them in stunned apprehension.

"These are the remains of my generals."

AN: Sorry to anyone who may have read this this morning, FFN did the same bug its done for the last 3 uploads and cut everything but the first line. And yes the stone thing was obvious. But Mamoru is dense. This chapter exists because I am so sick of programming things that revolve around the avatar system I wrote! Its amazing and all but is it annoyingly complex. And so you guys will likely see more story updates while I procrastinate on developing features that revolve around it. Also, I drew some mediocre fanart of the golden woman. art/Imperium-439673190 Its may contain potential spoilers.


	3. Chapter 3

He glanced at the stones in his hands, still warm but no longer glowing. Even with all the atrocities his brainwashed

generals had committed, he was still selfishly grateful to have his generals returned to him.

"What is the task then? You don't expect me to bring them back to life too, do you?" He slipped the stones back into his

pocket.

She smiled at him, the empty smile of someone sincere but unwilling to betray their emotions with their features. He

frowned, he'd always been good at reading people and this woman was infuriating him with her lack of responses.

"Fine! Don't tell me." Putting his hand to his forehead, he blew out a slow puff of air. "Its probably part of the task

that I have to figure it out on my own." He peeked enough through his fingers to see that she was still smiling, but

slightly warmer.

That was progress at least.

"Follow me." She began walking back towards the forest, and he automatically fell in step behind her. They walked in

silence, and the lack of conversation left his mind with dangerous freedom to wander.

The ache in his chest was still ever present, a numbness where Usagi's heart should have been. Or at least, his

connection to her heart, he wasn't entirely certain of how the connection between them worked.

But having the reminder of his former generals from so many centuries past, left a new hope inside him that dulled the

pain, even only by a slim margin. What he remembered of them, and it wasn't much, was of being as close as Usagi was

with her senshi. They had been his brothers in arms, his friends, confidants, and companions through his formative years.

Jadiete with his easy charm and boyish good looks, Nephrite with his jovial demeanor and perceptive eyes, Zoisite with

his acerbic wit and competitive ambitions, and Kunzite...

For some reason he had fewer memories of Kunzite than the others, but he knew that Kunzite had been the stoic of their

group, the leader as Venus was to the senshi. But when he tried to focus on a memory of Kunzite it felt the same as when

he'd first begun dreaming of Serenity, almost intentionally blurred.

His brows creased in thought. Could someone have purposefully restricted his access to his memories of the silver

millennium? The senshi remembered the same moments as he did, but were their recollections as foggy as his were?

He closed his eyes, trying to clear his muddled thoughts. It wasn't like him to have such trouble solving a problem, but

considering the emotional turmoil still churning like a hurricane at the back of his mind, it wasn't surprising. From a

doctor's perspective, he knew that he was repressing the trauma of Usagi's death. But he couldn't accept it. He

wouldn't. It wasn't something to be at peace with, it was something to either deny into delusion, bury behind the wall

that he'd put his dead parents beyond, or allow the grief to poison and slowly kill him. And if there was even a slight

chance he could revive Usagi...the third wasn't an option. So repressing it is what his mind was doing, placing her love

and light into the darkness that his parents memories were no doubt cocooned in.

He'd always wondered why he was never able to recover a clear memory of his parents, but with how well he guarded his

heart and what he was actively doing now to his feelings about Usagi, it was a possibility that he'd always had their

memories but never been brave enough to revisit them.

When he looked up, they were at the edge of the treeline.

And before him stood a familiar set of marble columns and temple.

"This is..." he stepped forward, putting his hand against a nearby tree. "...Elysian."

"Yes, the bleeding heart of Earth."

He jerked his head sideways to stare at her. "Bleeding?"

She wasn't smiling. "Much as the Ginzuishou reacts to the heart of the one within whom it resides, Elysian and the

Kinzuishou react to the heart of the one whom they are connected. It is why Elysian was ravaged during Nehelenia's

attack, due to your illness. No physical attack on Elysian occured until after you had visited it, and by then it was

already in ruins."

He looked at the temple, pristine with lush grass surrounding the grounds in every direction. "It looks fine though..."

as he looked closer though, he could see that the grass was yellowing at the stem, and the grand marble columns had the

beginnings of what looked like grime at their base.

"Its as sick as your heart currently is. And it will continue to worsen until this comes to a conclusion."

The choice of the word conclusion unsettled him.

He lowered his gaze to the ailing blades of grass, keeping his voice even past the tightness in his throat. "Is there a

possibility Usagi won't come back?"

She watched him, gold eyes intent on his expression. "It depends on you."

He sighed. It was as good as a yes. "I'll do anything...anything to bring her back."

She said nothing, and he watched her as she turned to stare at the temple. "Why did you bring me here?"

"You'll need the help of Helios to understand the path ahead." She sat down at the base of a tree, pulling her hair over

her shoulder and beginning to braid down its length.

"I guess that means I'm going alone again, then."

"If you wish it, I will join you." She tied off the braid, pushing it back.

He considered it this time, studying the mysterious woman. She'd offered both times to come with him. Was this part of

his test as well?

"I'll be fine. Will you be here when I return?" he tried to make the question casual even though he considered it of

potential import.

She gave him a pleased smile, but her eyes betrayed nothing of her thoughts. "Of course."

He nodded, turning to head into the shrine.

Two maenads stood at either side of the entrance, heads bowed and hands folded in prayer.

As he walked towards them, they looked up in unison, smiling in joy. "Endymion!" One started forward, hands upward in

invitation. The other followed at her side, one arm loosely wrapped around her sister.

"Its been a while," he smiled, clasping the outstretched hands in greeting. "Is Helios occupied?"

The second maenad shook her head, long waves of lavender hair twisting behind her in the breeze. "He is in the prayer

hall, attempting to commune with you." She was grinning from ear to ear. "He will be most pleased by your arrival."

The first maenad nodded in agreement, putting her own arm around her twin. "The worry over your current state has

plagued him since the princess fell." The sympathy in her eyes was genuine, but he felt no comfort from it.

Mamoru's smile dropped, ice creeping up from his heart, the corners of his eyes crinkled in pain. It was harder to

repress his emotions when everyone kept reminding him of her.

"Come," they said together, turning to lead him into the temple. As they walked, he studied the temple in more detail.

The last time he'd visited, the grand halls had been nothing but chaotic piles of broken marble. Now they shone white,

although the edges were still rimmed in dirt and grime. It was likely his own doing.

The thought made a bitterness swell inside him. Was he not allowed to grieve and feel the loss of a loved one like

everyone else? Did the survival of the planet depend on him not falling apart?

It would be just one more sacrifice in a long list of things he'd given up since he'd begun his career as a masked jewel

thief.

But this time, he had serious doubts about how much control he had in the choice.

AN: Thank you to all reviewers. Sorry this ones not very long, been busy.


	4. Chapter 4

Helios knelt before the prayer pillar, the sound of approaching footsteps breaking his concentration. Looking up, he saw the shrine maidens approaching with the very person he'd been praying to speak with.

"Endymion!" he stood up, coming forward to greet the man as the maenads bowed and excused themselves. Sinking back down to one knee before him, he put a fist across his chest. "How can I serve you?"

Uncomfortable with the display, Mamoru pulled Helios to stand before him again. It had been a long time since he'd been royalty, and watching his longtime guardian fall back into such a role didn't have the comforting familiarity it might once have.

"I'm..." Mamoru paused, thinking of how to best explain his current situation. "I think I can bring Usagi back." Helios' eyes widened, but he did not interrupt. "I was told that these," he reached into his pocket and produced the stone remains of his generals, "could help me achieve this."

"Those are-" Helios placed a hand over Mamoru's, closing his eyes. "Yes, those are your former generals!" He looked up at Mamoru expectantly.

"I know, but I don't know how this helps me bring Usagi back."

Helios pulled his hand back, looking up to the ceiling in thought. "Who has told you that the dead can be resurrected? Such a thing has only ever been achieved through the power of the Ginzuishou."

Mamoru felt his heart drop.

"A woman. She wouldn't give me her name, but when I awoke here she guided me to these stones and also to this shrine, and said I should seek your aid." Well that wasn't exactly how she'd phrased it, but he wasn't about to split hairs over semantics.

"Ah." Helios' eyes were twinkling in amusement now. "It has never been done before, but if I am correct in my assumptions about your guide, it may be possible." Mamoru tried to contain the rush of excitement that shot through him. If Helios thought it was possible as well... "But I am as uninformed as you as to the merit these stones may play in that quest."

Mamoru frowned, looking down at the stones. "Can you tell me who the woman is at least?"

Helios shook his head, eyes downcast. "It would not be my place to do so."

Mamoru sighed, wondering if he ordered Helios to tell him, whether the guardian would comply. Thinking better of it, he closed his fist around the stones. "Well what can tell you me about these stones?"

"Oh a great many things!" Helios smiled, turning to lead Mamoru to sit beside him in front of the pillar of prayer. "They are the core essense of your generals, their last remains, not unlike the sailor starseeds of guardian senshi. They hold the memory of their former lives as a resonance in the crystal structure of the stone itself. Their loves, their losses, their triumphs, are all inside those stones. There is thus great power inside these stones, sealed until someone with powers such as our own is able to activate it."

Mamoru placed the stones in front of him on the floor. "So when I activate it, I can use their power?"

"You can access it, yes. But your generals were not magical beings like the senshi, with the exception of Kunzite." Helios frowned. "They do have great experience in battle, Earth was quite conflicted during the days of the silver millennium..."

Mamoru said nothing, waiting for Helios to continue.

The priest looked up at him, eyes worried. "There is chance though...that your generals may also contain taint within their essences now."

Mamoru frowned, there was always a catch.

"Over the span of two lifetimes, they had been brainwashed and forced to heed the command of one of the more evil entity's to ever pass through our galaxy. Even though they are now stones, repeated torment like that doesn't disappear, even after death. Even if you were to access their power, there is a chance some of that evil would still be interwoven. It might even be so strong that it affects you." Helios repeated his gesture from earlier, placing his hands over the stones and closing his eyes as he felt their energy.

Remembering something from earlier, Mamoru said "My powers seem to be stifled here. Even though I can feel the Earth like an echo in my head, its distant. If I were to try and access the power of these stones now, I would surely fail. I can't even call forth my usual level of power." He held out his hand to demonstrate, concentrating on forming a rose. When he opened his eyes, a few petals were in his hand.

Helios watched, unbothered. "I do not think accessing your general's power should be your first priority. Right now, your connection to Earth is as tenuous as its ever been."

"How so?" Mamoru rubbed his eyes. It had been a long trek to get from the field to the shrine and then back through the forest to the temple he was now in. Did time even pass normally here? The sun was still high in the sky outside, so maybe it was just fatigue from his recent circumstances catching up to him.

"When your connection with the princess was...severed," Helios rushed over the word, watching Mamoru's face for signs of distress. He tried not to worry when he saw Mamoru flinch. "A part of your power may have been severed as well. The power of two as one is the ultimate force this galaxy has ever seen, and is currently separated into its two individual parts. That power is more than the sum of its pieces."

"Like a synergistic effect," Mamoru mumbled, flashing back to his medical training.

Helios' brows drew together, not recognizing the term. "The Earth is your power, but without the Moon to guide her, the Earth is not her strongest. You've had the power of two as one since the beginning of your awakening into your power, and now that it is gone, I fear you must relearn your own gifts."

Mamoru leaned back on his elbows, glancing at the ceiling. "So it is a task after all."

"You've learned it once before, in the Silver Millennium. Then you were trained by the former host of the Kinzuishou, and myself, to access its powers. I'm sure you can achieve such strength again, given time."

Mamoru pressed his hands flat to the floor so Helios wouldn't see how they shook. "How much time?"

Helios looked up again, reaching for a memory. "It took you nearly ten years to gain near mastery of the golden crystal during the Silver Millennium." He put up his hands and waved away the horrified expression on Mamoru's face. "I'm sure that since you now hold the memories of that lifetime in this one as well, it will take much less time."

Mamoru winced, lowering his face. "I don't," he mumbled.

"What!" Helios gave him a look as if he'd just admitted himself to be a monkey wearing a mansuit.

"I mean, I have them but..." Mamoru ran a frustrated hand through his dark hair. "Its blurry. There are huge gaps, and the clear memories I have are mostly of that final night."

Helios pulled his hands together in his lap, frowning in concentration. When Queen Serenity had pushed the children of the silver millennium forward, she had been quite vague in her wish. It was possible that she'd only sent their souls forward, or it was possible that she'd pushed their entire selves complete with intact memory from their former lives forward. With the power of the Ginzuishou, it was possible she'd sent their actual bodies to be reborn in a future time, rather than just sent their spirits to be reincarnated. The senshi did look strikingly similar to how they had appeared in the Silver Millennium.

Coming to a conclusion, he let a small smile spread across his face. "I believe I know why she has sent you here."

Mamoru stared at him, trying to disguise the hope that was welling up inside him. If Helios had even a clue as to what he needed to do to bring Usagi back, it would completely change his perception of the events following her death.

"I believe, you were sent here, with these stones," Helios pointed to the remains of the generals, "to reestablish you connection to the Earth." When Mamoru began to interrupt he held up a hand patiently, "By regaining your memories of the Silver Millennium, in their entirety."

AN: Ginzuishou=Silver Crystal Kinzuishou=Golden Crystal. Why am I writing them that way? Because they are names, titles, like the names of characters, which I'm also using Japanese forms for in this story. I appreciate the reviews. :) Debating linking this story with the SilMil retelling I recently started but I'll only do that if they meld appropriately.


	5. Chapter 5

Today was Usagi's funeral.

Gathered in a somewhat damaged service's hall, Minako, Ami, and Makoto sat. They were dressed in all black. Rei had been inconsolable, and refused to accept that Usagi was dead. She had exploded when asked if she would attend the funeral earlier today, and no amount of gentle logic would convince her she should. Makoto had tried to knock some sense into her, but Minako had put the brakes on that before it could go any further. And it would have if she hadn't stopped them.

Ami hadn't eaten or slept since that night. Things were horrible enough before Usagi had sacrificed herself to protect them, but now that she was gone...

She wished that Usagi was still alive, even if it meant the enemy still would be as well. It was a selfish thought, given the potential devastation of their opponent, but she couldn't help it. She bowed her head, closing her eyes. She just wanted Usagi back, even if it meant hundreds more would die in her place. If that made her a horrible person, then so be it. Even this building wasn't untouched by the aftereffects of one of their many battles of the past few months, but it was the nicest place the Tsukino's could afford.

She'd replayed the fight in her head on an infinite loop after it had finished. Was there something she had missed? Something she could have done? Some personal failing she had overlooked that could have changed everything? She gave a blurry glance down at her injured hand. But even in her best case scenarios, Usagi would still have had enough time to summon the Ginzuishou and use it before any of them could have stopped her. And Mamoru...

She felt tears begin making hot trails down her cheeks. As a closet romantic, seeing the physical effect Usagi's death had on Mamoru was something that ate at her beliefs. She'd have to go visit him after the service.

She thought about the first time she'd met Usagi, when Luna had decided she liked Ami's shoulder more than the blondes. She smiled at the memory, Usagi had been so red in the face as she yelled at her cat. Ami hadn't understood the degree of her anger until later when she found out Luna was intelligent and could comprehend Usagi's threats. She'd beamed at Ami afterwards though, leading her to the arcade and convincing her that she'd be her first friend since no one else had taken the role. Remembering how she'd taught her how to play the Sailor V game, she felt herself getting choked up again and let more tears fall.

Makoto was hiccuping under her breath, and no matter how hard she tried to clamp it down, her frustration was boiling over. She was sobbing, and she knew it, but if she could just keep her lips pressed together tight enough it would make less sound. She banged a fist into the bench she was on, angry tears continuing to slip past her unblinking eyes. The sobbing hurt, Ami had told her she'd had a cracked rib when she left the last fight, but the pain was a welcome distraction.

It felt like it was her fault. Ami had assured her that it was nobodies fault, and even if that girl was a genius it didn't mean that she was right. She felt guilty, like she'd betrayed her best friend. The horrible ache, that she remembered so well from her own parent's death, was now a gaping wound bared to the world. She'd fought for years to bury the tumultuous emotions that came along with it, lashing out in school and through physical violence. And now it was back, and worse then ever, because she could have stopped it.

No matter what Ami said, she could have stopped it. She just knew it. She just didn't know how. But she could feel the blame laying heavy on herself and the others, a cloud of regret that was driving them all apart. Usagi had been the glue that held the senshi together, and now she was dead.

Usagi had always been her ideal. She was the kind of person she wanted to be, someone who loved unconditionally and enjoyed life to its fullest. Makoto had so much emotional baggage, it was difficult to just make friends much less love or live. But life hadn't kicked her down enough times yet, apparently.

Makoto stared straight ahead, another hiccup escaping despite her best efforts. The tears she couldn't do anything about.

Minako had her head hidden between her hands. Her shoulders were shaking violently, but no sound emerged. Ami could see that her hands were soaked and dripping. Minako didn't care if people saw her grieving, that was the point of this funeral. The mourn the loss of her best friend.

It was worse than that though. Now she was truly the leader of the senshi, and she already knew she was doing a terrible job. The fight between Makoto and Rei had convinced her further that she was not qualified to lead this group. They were too different, too wounded. And Usagi's death was the biggest battle-scar of all.

What would they do if another enemy appeared? What if the real enemy hadn't been defeated when Usagi gave up everything she had to prevent it from creating more death? The world would be lost.

She wondered what Usagi would say if she saw her now, knee wrapped in a cast and crying over her death. She'd probably comfort her and tell her that it would be okay, that they'd seen the future and that everything turned out alright. But she had been at that fight, seen Usagi disappear into twinkling lights and fade forever. They hadn't even had a body to bring back to her parents. How was she suppose to accept that this was destiny, meant to happen? It was wrong, it was all so very wrong.

Usagi's kid brother was sitting the row in front of them. He was a complete wreck, bawling and giving tiny gasps between each sob. His parents were in front of the podium, trying to keep their voices even as they talked about Usagi. Shingo couldn't even hear what they were saying. His whole world had changed overnight. The big sister who he'd picked on constantly and secretly looked up to, who would stay up late with him when their parents were sleeping so they could both watch trashy television in the dark...the sister who'd slam her door in his face whenever he tried to spy on her friends during sleepovers but who later would sneak into his room to bring him an apology cookie which she had partially eaten...

She wasn't here anymore. That room down the hall would be empty. What would his parents do with all her stuff?

She was a part of his life, a big critical part. And now she wasn't. It was as if the universe had just left an empty spot in his chest, and a nagging voice in the back of his mind so that no matter what he did he'd be reminded of her.

Ikuko was falling apart at the microphone, so Kenji took over.

On the other side of the aisle, Naru clutched a photo of herself and Usagi from when they were children. It was wrinkled and stained from being wet so many times by her tears. It didn't matter, she had countless others, so many artifacts of memories that they could never make more of again. Naru knew she was shaking, but she refused to let herself fall apart right now. Usagi's family were like her own family, and she wanted to be strong for them. Umino sat beside her, sniffling quietly. He'd refused to to let her come alone, and she knew that he had crushed on Usagi for a long time.

The entire building was packed with people, so many people having been touched by Usagi's kindness. Everyone from the family physician to Mrs. Haruna had shown up, most of them genuinely grieving for the loss of her.

Flowers were placed in the empty coffin, Shingo adding a bag of his favorite candies and Makoto adding Usagi's favorite cookies. Even with everyone falling apart, Minako knew that there was something important they needed to do. Pulling the other girls aside after the service, she spoke in a soft voice thick from tears.

"We need to tell her family," she said.

Ami's didn't look surprised, but she nodded. Makoto looked as if she hadn't heard her.

"They need to know how she really died." Minako watched as Makoto continued to stare at nothing. "Hey," she shoved the other girls shoulder to get her attention. "We're going to tell Usagi's family she was Sailor Moon." Makoto's mouth formed a tiny o, and then she went back to letting her eyes glaze over at nothing.

"What about Rei, should we get her permission first? It won't take much for them to figure out who the rest of us are." Ami asked, wiping her eyes.

Minako shrugged. "You can ask if you like. I'm going to tell them either way. I wanted you guys to know though before I did, in case you wanted to come along." She knew it was a coward's move, dragging others into something that should have been a burden carried only by the leader. But she was a total mess, and so was everyone else right now. Maybe if they all stood beside one another, their combined strength would give her the courage to do this without falling apart again.

Ami shook her head. Makoto didn't respond. So much for that, Minako thought with a sigh.

She saw the Tsukinos leaving the building and she hurried as fast as she could limp over to them. "There's something I need to tell you about Usagi," she said, swallowing her doubts. "Would it be an inconvenience if I came along?"

Ikuko was too broken to respond, cradled in her husbands arms as she continued to cry for her baby. Shingo wasn't much better. Kenji looked Minako over, deeming her not to be a troublemaker by the red rimming her eyes and the swollen state of her cheeks. He frowned at the cast on her leg, but he nodded. Slipping into the backseat, they drove to the Tsukino's residence with only the sound of Shingo's uneven gasps for air and Ikuko's quiet sobs breaking the silence on the interior.

When they were inside their house, Minako motioned them all to sit down which didn't take much coercion. Licking her lips she summoned her courage. This wasn't her secret to tell, but they deserved to know what happened to Usagi, and not just some vague explanation about an accident.

"Usagi was Sailor Moon," she blurted out before she could lose her nerve.

Mr. Tsukino gave her an unimpressed look, Ikuko was blinking at her as if coming out of a daze and Shingo just looked at her with tears in his eyes, expression unchanging.

"She um...she died bravely. I just thought you'd want to know."

Kenji glared at her now. "Get out."

Minako balked, mouth opening in surprise. "I just told you the biggest secret in all of Tokyo and you are going to throw me out?"

"Dad," Shingo said, putting an arm on his angry father. "She's telling the truth."

Kenji stared at his son like he'd sprouted a second head, narrowing his eyes before he ground out, "and you know this, how?"

Shingo sniffled, wiping his eyes. "Usagi told me she was Sailor Moon."

Minako breathed a sigh of relief, at least they would believe her now. She leaned against the wall, feeling the bit of the throbbing in her knee die down when she did.

Ikuko had been sitting quietly through all this, but she looked up at Minako, eyes boring into her like she could see straight through her.

"Tell me..." she paused to clear her throat, her voice was almost too hoarse to hear. "Tell me how my baby died," she said, the words coming out rough still.

Shingo stood up, shaking his head. "No. I don't want to hear this."

"Then leave," Ikuko said, pointing to his room. Shingo didn't hesitate.

"We'll discuss this later, Shingo," Kenji called after him before focusing again on Minako.

And so Minako told them. She told them about Beryl and Luna, about Ail and Ann. She told the story of Princess Serenity and Prince Endymion in the Silver Millennium and explained about Queen Serenity as best she could when Ikuko tried to make sense of Usagi having two mothers. She told them about the Black Moon clan, the Tao system, Queen Nehelenia, Sailor Galaxia and Chaos, and every foe the senshi had ever faced. And then she told them about their new enemy, and about how Usagi had sacrificed herself to protect everyone.

She watched them in silence while they processed everything.

After a minute, Kenji spoke. "I've heard about that. They were threatening bio-terrorist attacks on Tokyo, weren't they?"

Minako nodded. "Among worse things."

Ikuko had her hands fisted in her skirt. "And all this time, she didn't tell us." Her knuckles were white against the dark shades of her skirt. She looked up at Minako, fresh tears in her eyes. "Didn't she trust us?"

"She probably wanted to protect you. If you didn't know who she was, there was less of a risk that an enemy could use you as hostages against her. I don't know why she told Shingo but didn't tell you." Minako lowered her gaze to the floor. "That's all I know."

"Maybe she was waiting for the right moment," Kenji tapped his chin in thought.

"Or maybe she just wanted you to see her as you've always seen her, and not as some mythical reincarnated princess from another world. I haven't told my parents either, and I know that's why I didn't." Minako laced her fingers together.

Neither Ikuko or Kenji gave any indication that they were perturbed she had just admitted to being an senshi as well. Minako wondered if maybe they hadn't noticed.

"And Luna..." Ikuko looked up, glancing at the empty cat bed in the corner of the room. "She can talk?"

"I most certainly can," right on cue, Luna strolled in, tail swishing between her legs and eyes a bit redder than usual. Her eyes flicked to Minako and she said "I think I can handle it from here."

Minako turned to leave.

"Wait!" Ikuko jumped up, reaching towards Minako to grab her arm. "Tuxedo Mask, that young man who always protected Sailor Moon. Is he alright?"

Minako pressed her lips together, looking away. "It depends on what you mean by alright."

-

Ami sat by the bedside, watching the monitors beep up and down with automated regularity. It was a familiar environment for her, being in the hospital where she had her day job, but right now it didn't feel very comforting.

Picking up Mamoru's hand with her uninjured one, she checked his pulse around the IV and the heart monitor attached to his fingers. Even though her practical side knew that the reliability of the machines was high enough that she didn't really need to check, her emotional side was still having a hard time processing everything. His heart beat was still steady and strong, just as it had been when she'd first checked it when he collapsed.

Leaning her head back against the chair, she turned towards the only window in the room as it began to rain outside. "About time," she mumbled with a slight frown. "Wouldn't be right if the world didn't cry today too."

Sighing, she rubbed her temples. She knew she looked gaunt and exhausted from not sleeping or eating for so long, but every time she tried she found her mind racing and her stomach revolting against her. She gave a bitter laugh, watching the droplets as they traced new lines down the window. "If I keep it up, I'll be the next one they check in here." She set a small book on the nightstand, getting up from her chair and stretching.

"I just thought I'd bring you something to read, in case you wake up soon." Ami closed her eyes, seeing the battle play out behind her eyelids before she lifted them again. "Please wake up soon, Mamoru-san."

Heading out of the room, the door clicked softly behind her.

A large electronic sign blinking overhead in the hall read "ICU."

AN: Insert dramatic drumroll and pan to black screen. The first chapter that got away from Mamoru, I think it turned out okay. It was either this or more chapters about Mamoru and I feel like since he's about to start off on his actual quest to get Usagi back, this was probably my best chance to cut to a bit of the real world as it continues to spin. Appreciate the reviews as always, hope everyone is continuing to enjoy the story.


	6. Chapter 6

At Helios' instruction, Mamoru picked up Jadiete's remains and concentrated.

Like earlier, summoning his power accomplished nothing. But his memories did activate the stone, leaving it warm and luminous in his palm.

"Okay, now what?" He closed his palm over the stone, still concentrating.

"Focus only on your memories and the stone. It may take some time, but with enough concentration, you should be able to remember everything more clearly."

Mamoru had never meditated before, and the idea of sitting for hours doing nothing didn't seem particularly appealing to his achievement-oriented thinking. There was no lack of discipline though, and goal this time was much bigger than a good grade, and so he closed his eyes and prepared to focus only on the task at hand.

It was difficult, his mind wandered every few minutes for the first two hours. Almost anything was more interesting than focusing on the two bleary memories he had of Jadiete.

It was also painfully dull. He tried clearing his mind, and concentrating on his former general, but when neither was successful he began to grow frustrated. Knowing that becoming frustrated was the opposite direction he needed to be going, he stamped it down.

Shifting to a more comfortable position, he felt his knees protest against him. He must have been at this for hours.

Helios sat dutifully in front of him, gold eyes fixed on him without judgement.

He had to do this, to get Usagi back.

It was like a door inside him had been opened. Suddenly he could see the memories that had been foggy before as if they were a movie playing before him.

He stood, sweating and bloodied, in front of the great palace. Before him, a blonde young man stood, a scabbard held in a battle stance. He too was sweating, but he bore only minor scratches. He still wore the bright red accented uniform of his post, and it made Endymion's heart clench. Everything else about his garb had been drained of its original color, leaving him wearing a slate gray uniform that marked him as one of the members of the true earth movement.

"Why do this?" He demanded. "You're betraying your kingdom, forsaking all that has ever meant anything to you!"

Jadiete's lips curled up, in a caricature of a smile. The look didn't suit him.

"You always did have too much honor. Did you think I wanted to serve under you? Die for YOU?" Jadiete bared his sharpened teeth in a twisted grin. "Its very tempting, but I'll have to decline. I would rather be on the winning side." He lunged forward, sword extended.

Endymion stepped to the side at the last instant, hissing as a thin wound opened up on his arm. Jadiete was faster than he was, but he knew that if he stayed one move ahead of him he could overpower him or wear him down. They'd been sword fighting for years, and it made this fight even more difficult. His opponent knew all of his stances, all his feints and moves just as well as he knew his.

Slashing upwards at the spot where Endymion had just stood, he watched as Jadiete ducked to keep the blade from slicing his head from his shoulders.

Jumping back, Endymion tried to put some space between them. If he wanted to win this fight, he had to reconcile himself with killing one of his closest friends, and he hadn't come to terms with that just yet.

Which meant that even if the opportunity presented itself, he wouldn't be able to kill Jadiete.

Not yet, at least.

They circled each other, parrying blow for blow in a deadly dance. Panting, Endymion watched Jadiete, trying to read his next movements from his body language.

"Why not join us?" Jadiete, relaxed his stance, dark eyes gleaming as he smiled at Endymion. "I'm sure there is a place for you in her majesty's army."

"Her majesty?" Endymion spat, shaking his head. "There is only one person with a true claim of Earth, and we both know it isn't 'her majesty'." Seeing an opening, Endymion rushed forward only to have his blow blocked by Jadeite's scabbard.

"It was never about Earth," Jadiete leaned forward, putting his full weight onto the blades as they remained interlocked. Endymion used all his strength not to let them push any closer to his neck. "Earth is just a trophy for the shelf. The real prize..." he smiled, licking his lips. "Well, I think you can figure it out."

Alarm shot through Endymion as he processed the words. He kicked Jadiete in the stomach to break the stalemate, bowing backwards as the shift in gravity forced him to apply less force to the locked swords. Somersaulting backwards, he stayed kneeling with his broadsword crossed in front of him as a defensive measure and a ready position in case Jadiete left himself open again.

His mind was racing though. If there was one place in the galaxy that was undoubtedly above the rest of the system, it was the Eternal Palace of the Moon. Serenity...

His eyes narrowed. He wouldn't let it get that far. Nothing would take her away from him, even if it meant he had to kill the man before him.

Standing back up slowly, they began to circle each other again.

"Give it up, Endy," Jadiete taunted, wearing an all too familiar charming smile. Endymion felt his gut clench again, watching Jadiete delight in his pain was almost too much. It was hardening his resolve, however.

"I'll never give up, this planet is my responsibility, as is everyone it. I won't leave it in the hands of your kind." Endymion took the brief respite to catch his breath, eyes trained on Jadiete's feet for any sign of movement.

Jadiete laughed, throwing his head back. Endymion didn't wait for the opportunity to pass, he gathered a glowing ball of golden energy in his hand and hurled it at him. At the same time, he charged behind it, sword slashing down in a dangerous arc.

"Tsk, tsk." Jadiete cleaved the ball of energy in two, only to rapidly backpedal and still receive a large injury on his torso when Endymion's followed right behind it. Putting a hand over the wound and pulling it away to see blood, Jadiete glared at Endymion. "This is far from over." He disappeared in a swirl of smoke, leaving Endymion panting and alone.

Endymion looked up at the moon hanging low in the sky, resting his weight on the sheathe of his sword like a cane. It was only a matter of time before Earth was overtaken. He would fight til his last breathe to protect his home planet, but if the movement's true target was the moon, he had to warn them. They had no idea the danger they were in.

And he'd die a thousand deaths if it meant that Serenity was safe.

Decision made, he turned and ran to the transport bay.

Consequences be damned, he would protect her.

Mamoru opened his eyes, gasping and staring down at the stone in his hand. He felt winded, as if he'd actually been fighting in that battle. Helios was still watching him, but stayed silent.

Determined, Mamoru closed his eyes, focusing again on the soft power emanating from the stone before he could forget the feeling he'd captured to access the memory.

They were throwing another masquerade, to celebrate their victory. He moved with stealth and precision, determined to avoid detection. If he were found...he didn't want to think about it.

Seeing familiar grey eyes glinting with amusement in the crowd at him, he sped up. Reaching the end of the stairs, his breath caught as Princess Serenity descended. She looked like an heavenly figure, all in white with the gold sewn into her gown the exact same shade as her hair. It gave the visual impression that her hair was spun from gold as it billowed around her from the traditional royal pigtails that sat atop her head.

Like everyone else, she wore a thin masque to disguise herself, but he'd recognize her in another's body. No one else sped his pulse up, made his heart hammer and totally consumed his attention.

Taking her hand as she reached the last step, he bowed, kissing her hand. "May I have this dance, m'lady?" Her eyes were glittering with amusement, and her smile was instant, she recognized him too.

He took her out into the middle of the dance floor, glancing about the room as they spun in wide circles. Jadeite had either teleported elsewhere, or was in hiding before he prepared to strike. If this was to be their last dance, he didn't want any distractions from murderous former friends.

Leaning Serenity into a dip, he brought her back up and pulled her close to him. She had a blissful smile on, completely enraptured with the moment as they danced. He twirled her out and then pulled her back in, swaying to the music as they lost themselves in one another. Maneuvering them towards the balcony, Endymion slowed their waltz, leading her out onto the ledge so they could speak.

She looked up at him, cerulean eyes full of trust and love. When she noticed that he hadn't removed his mask, she reached up to take it off for him. He caught her hand, lowering it and shaking his head.

"Serenity..." he tried to sound confident but he knew she'd hear the stress in his tone.

"What is it?" She clutched his hand with both of hers, bringing them up above her heart. He could feel the beating of it through the sheer fabric of her dress.

"Serenity you must leave. The moon, it will be attacked, tonight." Her eyes filled with fear and she clutched his hand tighter. He closed his eyes to hide his own fear. "You can't stay here, its no longer safe."

She worried her lower lip, looking up at him. "I can't abandon my friends, my mother...my people." She pulled her hand free from his, reaching into her gown. Her eyes were rimmed with tears.

Pulling a locket free from her gown, she pressed it into his hands. "Please, take this," she closed his hands over it. "To remember me by."

Immediately he realized what she intended to do. "No! I won't leave you here to die." Below he could see a few guards watching them and he turned to keep his face obscured by the mask. "Come with me, if we leave now we can make it before-" he stopped talking as two Mau bounded in the ballroom, screaming for everyone to evacuate, that they were under attack.

Serenity turned to them, mouth open in shock and beginning to tremble with fright. Endymion pulled off his cloak, draping it over her shoulders. Pulling her to face him, he tilted her head up, leaning down to kiss her.

"Please," he begged, voice shaking as he pulled away. "Please don't do this. I can't leave you alone to die."

Serenity looked up at him, the first few tears sliding down her cheeks. "Not alone." She opened the locket she'd put into his hands, the soft chimes a stark contrast to the panicked screams and chaos that was unfolding in the ballroom behind them. "We'll always be together." She stared up at him, expression earnest before standing on her tiptoes to kiss him.

It was bittersweet, salty wetness intruding on the desperate ferocity of her kiss.

The scent of smoke alerted him to the presence of Jadiete.

Pushing Serenity behind him, he turned to face their adversary.

Before he could see more, his vision began to cloud. Black swirled at the corners of his sight, everything taking on a dreamlike fuzzy quality. The last thing he heard before everything went completely dark was Helios' frenzied cries of his name.

AN: I gotta say, I'm really enjoying this fic. I thought it would be too derivative when I first started it and figured I might abandon it, but after a few chapters I'm reconsidering that. I'm even prioritizing writing it over my website because of how much I'm enjoying it (oh the horror! Don't tell any of my users! :P).


	7. Chapter 7

Helios wrung his hands as he watched Mamoru toss about, trapped in a nightmare. What he didn't know, was that Mamoru was trapped in more than just a nightmare, he was trapped in a memory.

Endymion stood in front of Serenity, sword unsheathed and eyes fierce as he eyed his foe. But as he drove his blade forward, he cut through only wisps of smoke.

The screaming of the wounded and dying all around them was a distraction, but not an unfamiliar one. Endymion had been through many wars to protect his kingdom, and he recognized the cries and the stench of blood for what they were. They were a declaration of war from a faction of Earth against the moon.

He wiped blood off his brow, keeping Serenity at his back as he stayed alert. No doubt Jadiete would appear any moment now and engage with him in battle again.

But things weren't happening quite as they had in the past.

The whole memory had a surreal feeling to it, as if anything could happen.

A flicker on the corner of his vision pulled his attention to the reappearance of his general. Only it wasn't Jadiete this time, it was Kunzite.

"My lord," Kunzite mocked, giving a half bow towards Endymion.

Endymion's hope fell into a flat pancake at the pit of his stomach. If it had been Jadiete, he at least stood a chance at winning the fight. But against Kunzite...he'd have to have the gods luck on his side to have even a hope of surviving.

Serenity screamed behind him, and he whirled too late to see red seeping out into the fabric of her gown. She was doubled over, hands covering the injury. He ran towards her, but it was as if he was being pushed back for every step, she kept getting farther and farther away.

This wasn't right, this wasn't how it had happened, some corner of his mind argued.

He continued to run towards her, screaming her name as he fell face forward onto the ground. He couldn't watch her die again, his heart felt like shattering glass.

And then she was sitting up, hands cupped around the Ginzuishou. He couldn't reach her, he was too far away, and no matter how hard he ran he didn't seem to be getting any closer to her.

The light was blinding, and he held up his hands to shield his eyes. When he opened them, she was lying on the ground, eyes vacant.

He let out a yell, thrashing as he came awake. Helios was there, standing and trying to calm him. He couldn't see straight, the dream was too fresh behinds his eyes and he knew that it was true.

She was dead.

He fell forward onto his hands, heaving as he tried to still his raging emotions. He was sobbing, and he could feel a hand on his shoulder trying to comfort him but there was nothing anyone could do. She was gone.

It took him a few minutes to remember where he was, and why he was here. Rubbing at his burning eyes, he swallowed the hoarseness in his throat. He didn't remember this part of the temple, but then, he was still a bit hazy with fatigue.

"Helios," he said, scrubbing the wetness of his cheeks with the back of his hand, "you said its possible I can bring her back." He looked up, staring the priest in the eyes. "Is it true? Is it really possible?" He couldn't help clenching his fists in the sheets.

Helios sat back down in the chair he had occupied for the last few hours. "I don't know," he admitted, lowering his gaze. He looked back up again, "I do know that she who brought you here does not lie. If she said there is a way to bring her back, then I am forced to believe her."

Mamoru tried to relax his hands but found he couldn't. Who was that woman anyways?

As he looked around the room he realize she was standing only a few feet away by the door, gold eyes trained on him.

"You pushed yourself too hard," Helios said, leaning over to the side table and picking up the four stones on it. "When you were accessing your memories earlier, I didn't realize you hadn't slept or eaten since...the fight." He put the stones on Mamoru's lap. "Your memories will come back as you train, but its dangerous for you to push yourself past your limits."

Mamoru shook his head, pulling the stones close to him. They were slightly warm to the touch. "I have to. If Usagi is out there somewhere, I need to bring her back. And I won't make her wait." He slid his legs off the edge of the bed but Helios stood and blocked his path.

The blonde woman moved forward, shaking her head. "At this rate you're going to burn out. You need to rest, to eat something, and then I will allow you to resume training."

"You'll 'allow' it?" Mamoru scoffed. "I don't see how you plan to stop me." Helios wasn't quite intimidating at six inches shorter than Mamoru's height, but he did do his best to try and seem imposing while blocking Mamoru's path.

She extended her hands and before he could even register his surprise, she held the four stones he had held moments ago. His eyes narrowed at this display of power.

"Anyone in this land has power," she said, as if reading his thoughts. "But only those who know how to use it can access it here. If you continue this foolish pursuit to train despite your own physical needs, you'll be the next one they bury."

Mamoru frowned, blinking at her. "You mean..."

She pulled her lips together, but didn't elaborate.

Mamoru let out a shaky breath. If he died, he couldn't bring Usagi back. Even if it was a tempting notion to join her in the afterlife, if this woman was telling the truth he couldn't risk losing Usagi to his own impatience. He closed his eyes, letting go of a steadier sigh.

"Okay. I'll eat something and rest a bit more. But please," he held out his hands. "Those were my generals, they belong by my side."

She stepped forward, handing them back to him. "You are not embittered by their betrayal?"

He set the stones down on the bed again, watching them twinkle in the dim light. "No. They were pawns used by Beryl in her scheme to rule the world, and she was unwittingly used by Metallia all the while. I've been used in the same way before, by both Beryl and Galaxia. I wouldn't grudge them for something even I could not overcome."

She nodded, stepping back again to stand by the door.

"Here," Helios said, holding out a piece of bread. "We only have meager means for food here, as the maenads and I do not require it. But you must eat something."

Mamoru nodded, taking the bread and sitting down as he ate. It was hard but warm, and it did fill a gnawing in his stomach that he had been too distraught to notice.

"You may continue training again tonight," the woman said, still watching him. "But I warn you, do not try to relive more than one memory at a time or you will wind up back here again."

Mamoru nodded, eying her with mild suspicion. "You knew that the task would be to retrieve my memories of the silver millennium then."

Her eyes showed no change in emotions, but her posture did shift. "I know the tasks you must complete to be reunited with Usagi," she said evasively.

He set the remaining loaf down, appetite fading. "Then tell me. I have a right to know."

She laughed, shaking her head. "You have no right to the knowledge. It is earned."

He glared at her. "Everything isn't earned, some things are given. Trust for one. How am I to trust you are true to your word if you will tell me nothing about what you expect of me?"

She smiled at him, pushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "Oh trust will not be an issue between us. You will continue these tasks for even the faint hope of returning Usagi. Whether you trust me or not, you will still attempt them."

He continue to glare at her, hating the truth in her words. Crossing his arms over his chest, he leaned back onto the bed. "Would you at least tell me your name?"

She smiled, turning to leave as she called back over her shoulder, "No."

He glared at her retreating back.  
AN: Cherishing those reviews, guys. :) Hope this story isn't too dark, I'll be working in future chapters to make sure I push in some humor and levity.


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